subject: How To Optimize Your Windows Startup To Avoid Long Booting Times [print this page] As you install more and more software you might notice that loading Windows takes longer than before. This is because it needs to start more software at every startup. In this article I'm going to give up the tools to choose what programs to start at startup.
Here are the steps to take to be able to disable programs from starting at startup.
Windows XP
1. Click on Start then Run
2. Type "msconfig" and click OK. (This will bring up System Configuration Utility.)
3. In the System Configuration Utility, Click the tab called Startup.
4. Now you can uncheck any programs that you do not want running at Windows XP startup.
5. Once you are done unchecking programs, Click Okay. You will be prompted to restart your computer.
Windows Vista
1. Open up msconfig (Just use the Vista's instant search by typing msconfig to the start menus search box).
2. Click the Startup tab.
3. Now you can uncheck any programs that you do not want running at Windows Vista startup and hit OK.
You might need to use google to see exactly what each program is and what it does. Here are some examples that you can disable to speed up boot times.
- Steam, unless you need to be online to see what your friends are doing you can safely remove this and just start it whenever you want to game
- Messenger, if you don't need to be online all the time your on computer.
- iTunes helper, only makes it a bit faster to start iTunes and monitors your computer for iPods. Not necessary to be on all the time.
Those are just examples and you might have lots of other programs that could be disabled. Just make sure that you don't accidentally disable vital software such as firewall or Windows update. When you're finished with this process you can be sure to get faster boot times and less waiting around.
